UKC

Aaaaargh!!!

All I wanted to do was change an outbound journey on tickets I have booked but yet to collect. I was advised that I had to by a new ticket then collect the ones already booked and send them back recorded delivery which is a big hassle. Why cant they make it simple by just changing the journey and use the same reference. The whole process is a real pain when it could be so much easier. It almost as though they realise that people dont have the time to post a ticket back and then they pocket the cash. Its stupid.

And relax

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

I once rang them to get a refund because my train got cancelled and the bus replacement didn't get me where I was going fast enough. They just told me the train wasn't cancelled, even though it definitely was. Another good strategy by Trainline, just be too stupid to argue with

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

If you are in a position to pick up your tickets and then take them to an open ticket office you will hopefully get a satisfactory resolution.

Please don't go to the ticket office and complain about the trainline without your tickets, the systems and staff can't cope with this.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Don't ever use the Trainline because they charge fees and don't offer anything the train companies' own sites do.

You will always get the best deal by booking direct with the main company you are travelling with. (Or megatrain.com if using certain Stagecoach TOCs).

In reply to L'Eeyore:

If the tickets are Off Peak or Anytime the correct procedure is indeed to refund and reissue. A ticket office will not be able to do that.

Advance tickets can be amended (for £10 plus difference in fare) and that can be done online normally.

In reply to Neil Williams:

Not disputing you. Is there any difference between the advance travel section at a major rail station than a ticket office?

In reply to L'Eeyore:
In terms of what they can do about it? No. To refund a ticket it has to be done at the place it was purchased (though sometimes it is possible at other stations of the same company if they have a common system, it is never possible to refund an online ticket any way other than online). If it's a walk up fare you can of course buy the new one from a station!

FWIW many of the online sellers will refund without "collect and post" if you haven't collected. Another reason Trainline is rubbish.

In reply to Neil Williams:

I'm going to dispute some of what you say pending me looking into the matter further. I may well be wrong but if I am so are others.

In reply to L'Eeyore:
Please do post your conclusions, I am happy to be corrected but am fairly sure I am right.

Essentially, if the problem can be fixed by issuing an excess fare, the ticket office can fix it. That would be things like change of class, change of route[1], wanting to travel further etc, and possibly, though it is debatable, changing a Day Return into a period return provided it is done before expiry (some ticket offices will do this, some won't). If it requires a refund and reissue, as a date change on the outward does in most cases[2] they can't.

[1] Geographic route, e.g. "not London" to "via London". Not a lot of people know, but you can do out via one route and back via the other for half the difference between the cheaper and more expensive one - only a ticket office can do that. However you can't change a "Virgin Trains Only" ticket to one without that restriction, for instance - that requires a refund and reissue.

[2] An Anytime Single is valid 2 days anyway, no need to change it to travel on day 2. Same with the outward portion of an Anytime Return which is valid 5 days.

In reply to Neil Williams:

My summary of what I've discovered so far is this;

Most regulated ticket offices should be able to refund a ticket provided the actual ticket is available (excludes online ref numbers etc). There is normally a £10 fee for the change, no other charges should be applied (although any new ticket should be charged at the current cost). Special conditions apply to certain pre-booked tickets.

In reply to Neil Williams:

Strictly speaking you are correct. It appears that I am seen as 'a valued customer' and special rules apply. I'm happy with that.

In reply to L'Eeyore:

Hee hee